Basketball: Paxton breaks Kamiakin scoring record in win over Pasco

Garrett Paxton needed 21 points on Friday to eclipse Steve White’s 39-year-old school scoring record and got 23 to lead the host Kamiakin High School boys basketball team to a 60-45 victory over Pasco in the MCC regular season finale for both teams.

Paxton finished the night with 1,195 career points, which is the new benchmark for the Braves’ boys teams. He also had four assists, three steals and nine rebounds in the game.

“You’re so excited to see a kid who works as hard as he does, cares as much as he does about the game and doing things the right way and playing hard,” Kamiakin coach Brian Meneely said of Paxton. “To see him get rewarded for all this hard work is really cool.”

Despite needing a few more points than his season average would dictate (averaging 16.2 entering the game), Paxton didn’t force his shots and found his scoring in the flow of the offense, Meneely said.

“He wasn’t out there just jacking shots up trying to get it,” Meneely said. “And we needed all of ‘em too, because we needed his playmaking and, as usual, he came through.”

When Paxton broke the record late in the fourth quarter, Meneely called a timeout to let the moment soak in. The Kamiakin crowd responded with a standing ovation.

“He was kind of embarrassed when we stopped the game, but that just shows what kind of kid he is,” Meneely said. “People were happy. People like seeing good kids get rewarded for their efforts.”

Coming off the bench for Kamiakin, Tye Reppe had eight rebounds and Ethan Robinson eight points. Diego Gutierrez had 11 points for Pasco and Emilio Davila 10.

Pasco (2-18, 1-13) looked primed for an upset in the early going as it led 26-23 at intermission, but Kamiakin was able to rally after the half.

The MCC 3A top-seeded Braves (15-5, 12-2) will host either Southridge, Shadle Park or Rogers at 8 p.m. Friday in their opening game of the District 8 playoffs. Pasco goes on the road to face Hanford (7-13, 3-11) on Monday in a 4A play-in game, with the winner advancing to face GSL champ Gonzaga Prep at 6 p.m. Wednesday.

RICHLAND 81, HANFORD 50: Cole Northrop had 18 points, seven rebounds and three assists, as each member of the Bombers’ starting five scored in double-digits to help beat the host Falcons in the regular season finale.

Garrett Streufert scored 14 points, Ryan Wagar 13, Riley Sorn 12 and Cody Sanderson 11. Streufert added seven assists to his final line, Sorn blocked five shots, Wagar had four gives and Sanderson three steals.

Luke Sutey came off the bench to lead Hanford with a dozen points.

MCC champion Richland (20-0, 14-0) will look to extend its unbeaten start to the regular season when it hosts either Central Valley or University in the first round of the 4A District 8 playoffs on Wednesday.

WALLA WALLA 60, SOUTHRIDGE 46: Tyler Greene had 15 points and four assists, and Dylan Sullivan added 13 points as the Blue Devils beat the visiting Suns in MCC play.

Wa-Hi, which scored 11 points off Southridge turnovers, jumped out to a 19-13 lead after the first quarter, and never let up.

Dante Ragsdale led the Suns with a game-high 20 points.

PROSSER 75, OTHELLO 51: The Mustangs finished 10-8 in CWAC play after beating the visiting Huskies (6-12).

Teegan Cox and Chase Courtney each had 17 points for Prosser, while Haden Hicks added 15.

“We made playoffs and playing our best ball at the right time,” Prosser coach Toby Cox said. “If we can play like we have been we will give ourselves a chance to compete in every game.”

KIONA-BENTON 52, ROYAL 50: Armando Reyes hit the game-winning shot at the buzzer as the host Bears knocked off the SCAC East-leading Knights.

Reyes hit a shot from the left baseline as Ki-Be handed Royal (17-3, 13-1) its first SCAC East loss.

Daniel Rizin led the Bears (12-8, 8-6) with 11 points, while Corbin Christensen scored a game-high 22 for Royal.

Ki-Be will play at Zillah on Tuesday in an SCAC district game, while Royal will host La Salle at 7 p.m.

LIBERTY CHRISTIAN 66, DAYTON 26: Nico Shupe had 21 points, and Mason Knode added 17 as the Patriots (12-4, 10-3 EWAC) beat the visiting Bulldogs in EWAC play.

Junior Helm led Dayton with eight points.

GIRLS BASKETBALL

KAMIAKIN 85, PASCO 57: Oumou Toure scored 19 points, finishing the regular season 17 career points shy of Tondi Redden’s school record, and the host Braves raced past the Bulldogs to split the MCC championship with Chiawana.

Alexa Hazel added 16 points and Chanceler Williams 14 for Kamiakin, which scored 32 points in the second quarter to lead 48-17 at halftime.

Janae Martinez led Pasco with 19 points on five 3-pointers, and Maylie Martinez added 12 points.

Kamiakin (18-2, 13-1) will host either North Central, Southridge or Rogers in its opening game of the District 8 3A playoffs at 6 p.m. Feb. 9. Pasco (7-13, 4-10) hosts Hanford (3-17, 1-13) on Monday in a play-in game of the 4A playoffs.

RICHLAND 64, HANFORD 32: Halee Pierce, Hailey Stevens and Gracie Pierce each scored nine points in a totally balanced scoring effort from the visiting Bombers, who took down the Falcons in their season finale to earn a season sweep of their cross-town foes.

Hanford’s Ashtyn Nelson needed just 10 points post the game-high, as eight Richland players finished with at least five points.

As the MCC 4A No. 2 seed, Richland (10-10, 8-6) hosts University in the first round of districts on Wednesday.

PROSSER 71, OTHELLO 37: Marissa Cortes scored 22 points with three steals and three gives, Madison Golden had 15 points and seven rebounds, and Brooke Wheeler finished with nine points and 18 boards as the host Mustangs trounced the Huskies in their regular season finale.

As the CWAC’s No. 2 seed, Prosser (16-4, 14-4) plays its first district game at Central Wahington University at 2 p.m. Feb. 10. A split in their two district games will send the Mustangs to a crossover against a GNL team, while a 2-0 sweep will put them straight through to regionals.

RIVER VIEW 69, CONNELL 67: Aaliyah Anderson scored a game-high 25 points and Morgan Munson hit a buzzer-beating game-winner to push her total to 16 as the host Panthers rallied from a slow start to beat the Eagles in their SCAC East finale.

Mattie Mauseth canned six triples to lead Connell with 23 points, while Madison Smith added 14 and Heather Hawkins 12.

Connell (13-7, 11-3) hosts the SCAC West No. 3 seed (either Cle Elum-Roslyn or Granger) and River View (13-7, 10-4) travels to West No. 2 La Salle in the opening round of the SCAC District playoffs. Both games tip off at 7 p.m. Thursday.

ROYAL 55, KIONA-BENTON 24: Morgan Lowe scored eight points as the Bears (1-19, 0-14) dropped their season finale at home to the Knights.

Sophomore Stefany Rodriguez led Royal (10-10, 7-7) with a game-high 17 points.

This story was originally published February 3, 2018 at 12:55 AM with the headline "Basketball: Paxton breaks Kamiakin scoring record in win over Pasco."